We also met Alex Honnolds mum climbing at South Lake Tahoe and ended up spending a few days at her house. She is a lovely lady and also a keen climber.

It has been the most amazing experiences of my life and still can't believe how many places we got to climb.

Anyone that has always dreamed of a North American climbing trip - get out there and do it. I do count ourselves super lucky that the US government shutdown didn't affect us.

We have only been climbing for 2.5 years before this trip. Climbing up to 24 sport and 15 trad and had never set foot on granite and next to no crack climbing. We are leaving being pretty comfortable tackling a 5.10C crack or a 5.11 slab as well as sending a couple of 5.12a sports routes. Our climbing skill and experience had grown immensely from this trip, especially on Trad.

Hi Jason,
We are currently in the States and have bookings for Yosemite next week but are drawing up a plan B. South Lake Tahoe (or North) is on the radar, any additional suggestions would be helpful. It's going to be cold Wednesday/Thursday.
regards

It was getting pretty cold there a week ago. Lovers Leap stays in the shade most of the day so rule that out. The campsite and day use area is closed but you can still climb there.

A better choice is phantom spires down eagle lake rd, it gets heaps of sun and has some fun climbing. The road in is pretty rough but we got there n a normal car with no problems. Some ok campsites there as well but no facilities. There is also Sugarloaf a bit further past eagle lake rd.

On 7/10/2013 gfdonc wrote:>We are currently in the States and have bookings for Yosemite next week>but are drawing up a plan B. South Lake Tahoe (or North) is on the radar,>any additional suggestions would be helpful. It's going to be cold Wednesday/Thursday.

I was supposed to be in the Valley this weekend too but bailed, in large part due to the shutdown (which doesn't look like finishing before the weekend - stoopid fuggin politicians!!!!). The group I was going with were thinking of heading up to Pinecrest (Sonora Pass) instead. It's pretty high elevation though and is going to be a bit on the cold side (30 - 75).

Tahoe has loads of good options, so is always a good backup plan, if not exactly world class. The East Side (Owens River Gorge + endless world class bouldering) is worth a look if you haven't been there - mostly single pitch sport.

If you come through SF and want to hit one of the local crags, let me know - pmonks AT gmail.

Hey thanks for the offer.
We are up in Truckee. No chance of the parks opening but we're making the most of it. It snowed heavily Wednesday morning but we still got an afternoon climb in.

Our bartender that night (everyone is a climber here it seems) raved about Corrugation Corner at Lover's Leap, so we braved the cold and did it yesterday. 3 layers and I still had numb hands on the first pitch, but it got better. Sensational crag and route. The campground is closed (toilets are locked) but there's still a bunch of climbers there, mostly Yosemite refugees it seems.

On 12/10/2013 gfdonc wrote:>Our bartender that night (everyone is a climber here it seems) raved about>Corrugation Corner at Lover's Leap, so we braved the cold and did it yesterday.> 3 layers and I still had numb hands on the first pitch, but it got better.> Sensational crag and route. >
If it warms up and you're still around you might like to go back to Lovers Leap and do Hospital Corner. Shorter and harder than CC but great pro the whole way. And then of course there is The Line, one of the best 5.9's you will ever do.